Babies need a lot of stuff. Twins need double that amount of stuff. Unfortunately, diapers and formula are no exception. The good news is, they will use less diapers as they get older. The bad news is, they will use more formula. So take a deep breath and maybe sit down for this one. Here is a rough estimate of how many diapers and cans of formula you will need with twins for the first year.

Newborn Twins

Newborns go through 10-12 diapers per day, so double that and you are looking at around 23 per day, or 161 per week. While the “newborn stage” is technically the first three months, they will probably be out of newborn diapers after 1 or 2 months. Does that mean you should go buy enough newborn diapers to last you an entire month (about 740)? I wouldn’t. You should definitely have A LOT of diapers, but get some size 1’s and 2’s as well (pro tip – REGISTER for them! Free diapers!) Just be prepared to go to the store a few times. You don’t know what size your babies will be and the last thing you want is a bunch of diapers you can’t use.

All formula can sizes are different, but we found that we went through (roughly) a 12oz can every two days during the newborn stage. Like with diapers, you do not want to stock up on formula. Ours changed a lot, especially in the beginning. This is why it’s hard to say exactly how much we went through at this stage, but this is a pretty good estimate.

Three to Six Month Old Twins

Once your babies have reached 3 months, they will need fewer diapers per day. I change mine every time I feed them + once or twice extra for breakthroughs and poops. That adds up to about 7-9 diapers a day, per baby. So again, you’ll need to double that and you’re looking at about 18 diapers per day, or 126 per week.

By four months, my twins were both finally taking the same formula. At this stage, they were eating about 24-30 oz per day of formula. One 12 oz can of similac makes around 90oz of prepared formula, so we went through a can about every day and a half. We never stock more than 4-5 cans at a time just in case something changes. Basically, we grabbed a few every time we go to the store. This method works for us.

Seven to Twelve Month Old Twins

We haven’t quite made it to this stage quite yet, but I wouldn’t be writing this if all babies weren’t pretty similar in the bathroom department. I will expect to change around 7-8 diapers a day per baby, adding up to 16 total per day or 112 per week. How do I prep for this kind of diaper situation, you ask? I shop deals and stock up when I can (see below for more on that!). I love this door organizer for hidden diaper storage as well as our diaper changing table.

The amount of formula a baby needs per day will continue to go up slightly at this stage, so expect to need more cans per day. Each baby will need around 30-32 ounces per day, so that would wipe out a 12oz can sometime between 24 and 36 hours. It might be a good time to start buying bigger cans or consider switching to Costco brand.

First Year Totals

In your twins’ first year, you will change roughly 5,500 diapers and you will buy an estimated 240 cans of formula. The cost of these things varies greatly depending on brands, but it helps to know how to find the right deals.

Deals & Coupons

If you are a savvy shopper, you may be wondering what retailer offers the best deal on diapers. I’ve run the numbers, and it comes down to Amazon & Target. Here’s how it all adds up: Amazon Subscribe & Save is great choice for those who prefer the convenience of a delivery option. As far as the cost, it is always a good deal, but there is a risk of getting too many or too few of the size you need. When it comes down to numbers, Target is the better deal, but there’s a catch. First, you have to actually drive to the store (an instant out for some busy moms). Second, you have to take advantage of the Target $15 gift card offer, which isn’t always available. Additionally, in order to get the most savings, you would need to also have the Target Red Card which offers 5% off on all purchases.

I highly recommend looking into the My Similac Rewards Program if you plan to formula feed. It is available for all moms, even singleton moms, but our pediatrician helped us get signed up for a program for multiple births. As a result, we received several rebate check coupons in the mail and continue to receive them periodically. Ask your pediatrician or call Similac and ask. This is also available for Enfamil and other formulas.